Why a Congruency Review is Needed

The principal funding source for live vertebrate animal research at UMKC is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), primarily through the Public Health Service (PHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). PHS and NIH Grants Policy requires the institution to verify, before award, that the institution’s IACUC has reviewed and approved the animal work outlined in the proposal. Specifically, “It is an institutional responsibility to ensure that the research described in the application is congruent with any corresponding protocols approved by the IACUC.” (NIH Policy Statement 10/12)

Therefore, a congruency review is required for all funding that uses live vertebrate animals to ensure the work described in the proposal comports with an active, approved protocol. At UMKC, the IACUC conducts a side by side direct comparison of the proposal and IACUC protocol. Excerpts from both the PHS and NIH Grants Policy Statements can be found below.